NATIONAL KIDNEY FOUNDATION MALAYSIA
Medical Center in Petaling Jaya | Giving Hope
Medical Center in Petaling Jaya | Giving Hope
Do you know that your Kidneys…?
☛ Weigh less than 1% of your body weight?
☛ Receive 20% of the blood that is pumped by your heart?
☛ Filter 180 litres of fluids per day to produce 2 litres of urine?
☛ Maintain your body’s internal environment constant?
☛ Remove harmful wastes from your body via urine?
☛ Produce certain essential hormones?
♦ Erythropoietin which stimulates the bone marrow to produce red blood cells.
♦ Renin to regulate blood pressure.
♦ Activate Vitamin D to produce calcitriol which helps maintain calcium balance in the bones.
If kidney damage becomes too severe, one’s kidneys lose their ability to function normally, this is called End Stage Kidney (Renal) Disease, ESRD, or Kidney Failure. Diabetes and high blood pressure are the two known leading causes of ESRD, accounting for more than 60 percent of new cases of dialysis patients in Malaysia. Kidney disease can also develop from infection, inflammation of blood vessels in the kidneys, kidney stones and cysts. Other possible causes include prolonged use of pain relievers and use of alcohol or other drugs (including prescription medications).
There are three types of Kidney Failure:
This is the sudden loss of kidney functions over a few hours or days. It can be due to one of the various types of kidney diseases or may be due to infections or low blood pressure after an accident. Loss of kidney functions in Acute Kidney Failure is usually temporary, but can be life threatening. In most cases, this type of kidney failure is reversible, but it occasionally may not respond to treatment and may progress to Chronic Kidney Failure or End Stage Kidney Failure. Acute Kidney Failure is more common in men than in women. When Acute Kidney Failure occurs, investigations are undertaken to determine the cause. This may include a kidney biopsy. Sometimes there are specific, treatable causes, but often it is simply a case of waiting patiently for the kidneys to heal themselves and recover their functions. Many people with Acute Kidney Failure require dialysis, while they are waiting for their kidneys to recover. However sometimes Acute Kidney Failure can be managed conservatively, by simply watching the blood pressure and the blood chemistry and waiting for kidney functions to return.
When the loss of kidney functions is gradual and progressive, it is referred to as Chronic Kidney Failure. Eventually, the kidneys are unable to remove wastes or maintain the body’s salt and fluid balance, resulting in the need to receive dialysis treatment. The symptoms of this type of kidney failure may not be noticed immediately. A build-up of creatinine (a waste product normally removed by the kidneys) in the blood will indicate kidney functions and the level of kidney impairment. The risk of Chronic Kidney Failure increases with age.
This phrase means that the kidneys have failed completely, and can no longer support life. Some people with End Stage Kidney Failure stop passing urine completely; others will still pass some weak, watery urine.
Kidney disease is a condition that affects the kidneys' ability to filter waste products from the blood. There are many different types of kidney disease, but they all share the common feature of damage to the kidneys.
Some of the most common types of kidney disease include:
Chronic kidney disease (CKD):
This is a long-term condition that slowly damages the kidneys. It is the most common type of kidney disease, and it affects millions of people worldwide.
Acute kidney injury (AKI):
This is a sudden loss of kidney function. It can be caused by a number of factors, including infections, medication side effects, and trauma.
Polycystic kidney disease (PKD):
This is an inherited condition that causes cysts to grow in the kidneys. The cysts can damage the kidneys and eventually lead to kidney failure.
Kidney stones:
These are hard deposits that form in the kidneys. They can cause pain, bleeding, and infection.
Glomerulonephritis:
This is an inflammation of the glomeruli, which are tiny filters in the kidneys. Glomerulonephritis can damage the kidneys and lead to kidney failure.
CKD is a common, life-threatening illness that often goes undetected until very advanced.
CKD may progress slowly over a long time. A lot of people are not aware that they have kidney disease until it’s severe. If it’ found and treated early, CKD may often be slowed down or stopped.
The risk factors for CKD include:
➀ Diabetes
➁ High blood pressure
➂ A family history of kidney disease, diabetes or high blood pressure
➃ Obesity
➄ Kidney stone
➅ Above 50 years old
Annual Health Screening is vital to check whether your kidneys are healthy.
You should visit your doctor or clinic and get tested. Your checkup should include:
➆ Urine test for protein (NKF Health Screening)
☛ Protein is an important building block in your body. Any filtered protein is normally reabsorbed and kept in your body.
When your kidney are damaged, however, protein leaks into your urine.
☛ There are different tests to check for protein in your urine. If you have two positive tests over several weeks, you are said to have persistent protein in your urine. This is a sign of CKD.
➇ Blood pressure
➈ Blood test for glucose
➉ Blood test for creatinine
☛ Creatinine is a waste product that comes from muscle activity.
☛ Your kidneys normally remove creatinine from your blood. When your kidneys are damaged, however, your blood creatinine may build to a high level.
☛ The results of your test should be used to estimate your Glomerular Filtration Rate, or GFR. Your GFR tells how much kidney function you have.
Stage | Description | GFR Level mL/ min |
---|---|---|
At increased risk | Risk factors for kidney disease (e.g, diabetes, high blood pressure, family history, older age) | 90 or more |
1. | Kidney damage with normal or higher GFR | 90 or more |
2. | Kidney damage and mild decrease in GFR | 60 to 89 |
3. | Moderate decrease in GFR | 30 to 59 |
4. | Severe decrease in GFR | 15 to 29 |
5. | Kidney failure (dialysis or kidney transplant needed) | Less than 15 |
GFR stands for glomerular filtration rate. It is a measure of how well your kidneys are filtering waste products from your blood. GFR is measured in milliliters per minute (mL/min).
A normal GFR for adults is between 90 and 120 mL/min. As you age, your GFR naturally declines. However, if your GFR falls below 60 mL/min, you have chronic kidney disease (CKD).
There are a number of factors that can affect your GFR, including:
Age: GFR naturally declines as you age.
Sex: Men typically have a higher GFR than women.
Race: African Americans and Hispanic Americans tend to have lower GFRs than Caucasians.
Body size: People with a larger body size tend to have a higher GFR than people with a smaller body size.
Health conditions: Certain health conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease, can damage the kidneys and lead to a decline in GFR.
If your GFR is low, it is important to see your doctor to discuss your treatment options. There are a number of things you can do to help slow the progression of CKD, including:
❏ Controlling your blood pressure
❏ Managing your diabetes
❏ Eating a healthy diet
❏ Exercising regularly
❏ Not smoking
By taking these steps, you can help protect your kidneys and improve your overall health.
More explaination (video) Renal Failure.